A Politically Weakened Minority

A politically weakened minority–that characterization of the lesbian and gay community by Hon. Dennis Jacobs, the Chief Judge of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in the decision this week that DOMA is unconstitutional has raised a few eyebrows, one in particular on this blog.

Given the recent Gallup/Williams Institute report that shows just 3.4% of American adults identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, those numbers combined with the number of laws still on the books across the country that legalize discrimination against LGBT people, I would say, yes, we are a politically weakened minority.

I know that flies in the face of some folks perspective that the “homosexual agenda” is taking over public policy. The fact of the matter is, for those of us who live in New York State, it took our politically weakened minority over 30 years to get basic rights to employment, education and public accommodation written into our state human rights law.

Just because we have marriage equality in New York, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t millions of other lesbian and gay folks across the country who can’t get married–because in their states, say N. Carolina, or the corridor that stretches from North Dakota to Texas, it’s illegal.

When only 21 out of the 50 states ban discrimination based on sexual orientation, the LGBT folks who live in the other 29 can get fired from their jobs or denied public accommodation just because of who they love.

So, yes, we are a politically weakened minority–our position has been weakened politically because we’re seen as second class citizens. If we were considered on the same legal par as heterosexuals with all the rights and responsibilities straight people have because of their sexual orientation then you could say we are no longer a politically weakened minority.

Now, one should not confuse these facts with our ability to organize politically, gain political clout and work the political system so we can gain our rights. If we weren’t a politically weakened minority, we wouldn’t have to work so hard to no longer be classified that way.

When folks look at the amount of money we can raise, or the allies we’ve developed among elected officials at all levels of government, or the size of our organizations or the vitality of our communities, they get the impression that we’re all rich, white, politically astute and are enjoying life in the best lane. We’re not seen as a politically weakened minority.

Again, don’t confuse our political reality with the community’s stereotype. While we don’t wallow as victims–unlike the Radical Christian Right which says it is victimized just by our sheer existence. The LGBT community is politically active so that we will no longer have to considered a politically weakened minority.

As the Gallup/Williams Institute study shows, we’re a diverse group. The only broad brush you can use to paint the LGBT community is one with rainbow colors–otherwise, we’re not a monolith, we’re not all the same, but the overwhelming majority of us do live in states where discrimination is still legal and marriage rights will have to wait for the U.S. Supreme Court.